Erase My Scars
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: We all have our scars. Those terrible wounds we never let anyone see. They can bring our lives crashing down, they ruin everything. This time, Naruto wants to erase all of those scars and everyone who hurt him, forever. NarutoxHarem! Bleach Crossover!


As always, the moon was beautiful tonight.

Never full, not quite empty, pale as pale could ever be, the lonely little crescent was cast adrift amidst the cloudless gloom. Its prescence here on this night amongst nights was, as always, a constant and unchangeable law of this realm. Just as the moon would never be full, so too, would the night never end. Leaving its denizens to seethe helplessly at the heavens above, made impotent. If there was such a thing as god, then he offered no mercy, no reply came from the skies above.

For this was not heaven; and neither was this hell. Always torn somehwere between the realms, the world of Hueco Muendo could be described loosely _-very loosely-_ as purgatory itself. Evenings were great things here, the norm. Especially the ones where the brutal bite of the pseudo-afternoon had finally faded into warmer currents and hollows sang in competition for their supper. Now it was their very incessant and mindless baying, the souls entrapped within crying out and bidding their fracutred existence farewelll; that ultimately brought about their untimely end.

"Who the hell-

Acrid and desolate, in a sky painted in brilliant pinks and oranges and other colors no artist could ever draw from his pastel, an irreverent _spattering_ of gore and viscera stained the sand tonight. Scarce had this scarlet shade shattered the silence then so too, did a a scream. Something _screamed,_ a pained yelp of surprise and dismay; obliterated in a flash of cold steel. Rigid and unyielding to all that it encountered, the blade sliced through bone and marrow as though they were water, sweeping through the dense hide of its first victim then a second and a third _and still a fourth_, indiscriminate whom it cut, to whom it dealt death.

Devastation to those undeserving of its master's mercy.

Locked within this horrific prescence, the moon did naught but quiver; trembling alongside the small group of adjuchas unfortunate enough to find themselves at the forefront of the silent onslaught. It felt like an ocean of raw reiryoku loomed overhead, threatening to smother them at a moments notice, sweeping them up as wiped away all trace of their prescence._ Leave._ The threat hung unadorned in the night, in the skies, the earth, squeezing the breath from their lungs.

Destruction delivered itself to those that remained; hollows that had once been about to feast now left stiff and frozen. There was no concious decision to remain as such, the reaitsu simply forced the ones who could stand to do so, firm and at attention_ -enrapt-_ against the incredible weight of its hollow where they stood.

Momentarily forgotten in the wake of this arrogant affront, their prey, a frail, wispy hollow no larger than a child, scrambled to its feet. The motion sent a small cloud of sand skittering across the dunes, attracting the attention of the adjuchas once again. But no move was made. Nay, for the ocean became a sea and the sea an abyss; yawning wide and gawping for a choice few who dared pursue the creature, their quarry, their meal, their hunger, giving themselves utterly unto an excess that is uncessary.

_Gluttony._

Those who remained slave to their desires stumbled over their paws and claws; each scrambling for purchase as they sought escape from the sudden spectre that whispered into life before their very eyes, those burning coals of crimson and sapphire blazing furiously within the folds of a tattered cloak. Viscious and metallic, a electic snap-hiss snarled into the night. Naught but two beats later, and the ground greedily gobbled up the blood of the gluttons and satisfied its own vice; the constant need for moisture. Unsatisfied, the spectre glanced aside, pivoting on a bare heel, seeking what little remained of the force he had just desecrated.

_Leave this place or perish with your kin._

Spared the fate of their fellows, the remaining five found themselves gazing upon a lone figure, an intent individual that strode forward as if he'd all the time in the world to dispatch them. Wooden and unhurried in his gait. Loosely humanoid in shape, a blackened hilt buckled to his wrist, its fractured tip suggesting a great deal of use, and the faint sheen of stark white robs beneath that resilient yet tattered cloak that continued to obscure his otherwise featurless face.

"Aw man, you killed Di-Roy." One of the many _-now numbering five with the abrupt loss of their kin-_ a pantherlike adjuchas was the first to find its voice. Clearly, he held some sort of clout with those that remained; because the odd group of five bowed before his confidence, an unquestioned superiority that stemmed from something other than the atypical arrogance and beligerence possessed by most of his kindred. Unlikethe other adjuchas, he'd been in the midst of a meal when the attack came, and now he gulped down the thick strips of flesh that dangled between those serrated teeth. White as snow and blending perfectly with the sand, his only distinguishing feature but for the blood that still glistened from his jaws, were twin orbs of _piercing_ sapphire. Locked upon the ghoulish garbed ghoul that continued to steadfastly stalk toward them, he glowered into the silence.

"..."

"So who in the hell are you?" He asked, steadfast _-standing-_ beneath the raw reaitsu that drifting toward them. He didn't even spare the worm-like adjuchas a glance as it dissolved, those twin orbs of piercing magenta and sapphire instead seeking the face lurking behind that tattered cloak and cowl. A muscle bulged in his jaw, thrashing alongside his tail as their archaic attacker paused, bending at the knees as the strange shade slowed its inexorable assault on the distance between them, and scooped an arm into the soil.

"Oi!"

The silence was eerie.

Scraping a hand through the gravel and grit, his hand came away clutching sand within its fist. Without speaking, he unfurled those pale and pallid fingers, his fist unlocking as it released the hardened grains of sand and began to clean the blade of the grime it had accumulated during its sudden strike. Systematically scrubbing at it with a bit of his cloth, he tore a ragged strap away and continued to rub at the blade even as the glares of the adjuchas bored into his hunched shoulders.

"Oi! Asshole!" The panther snapped, its jaw locking shut with a feline-like hiss. "Are you fucking reatarded? I _said-_

He swung his arm forward.

Hurled from his grip, the grains of sand _flew_; because they were no longer sand. Hardened to a diamond toughness, they seared through the night, each trailing a trail of crimson as they honed in upon their targets, lulled into awe, foolish enough to be overcome. But the adjuchas was already gone; vanishing within a sharp _thwack _as they hurltled out of sight. The dull buzz of movement signified their return, effortlessly evading the hail of iron that might've beheaded or otherwise maimed, had they'd tarried.

_"Scum."_ Flat and baritone, an unamused voice, remarkably young, emerged from within the cowl. "You lot have already served your purpose." Stark and unyielding against the black ichor dripping from its subtle curve, a katana captured the moonlight upon its tip and thrust itself into the heavens. That dim glimmer of impure and unholy light lingering upon the edge of a tapered tip for all of an instant it hung over their heads like a hand, a human hand, the blade stabbing into the heavens in silence defiance of its victims.

For just a moment, one hesitated. And when one hesitated in Huenco Muendo, _one died._

Unfortunately, the straggler of the group faltered first. Bellowing its fury as the hooked vectors insersected, intercepted its path, another hollow died as the blade and the wielder blurred forward, two traces of translucent travesty tugging at the threads of his existence and leaving him undone. Whomever he was, the newcomer was lethal. Both in long distance, and now, in close range combat. With fingers unfurled, a sphere spat and hissed in his palm, the translucent traisl of light and energy eerily assimlair to that of a cero, but the tehcnique was, anything but and just as deadly.

Popping in and out appearance, he materialized less than a yard away, then a foot, and soon not even that. Flicking his wrist forward, he faded into view before the gillian, the edge of his palm biting hard into the mask of the _Gillian _and the monster bellowed in agony, its head flinging backwards as the sphere was thrust the swirling expanse of lght already expanding upon into its gawping visage and erasing the upper half of its jaw while its teeth gnashed on mindlessly. Unable to move his massive girth with the grace and agility of his comrades, the gawping head slipped from its nonexistent shoulders, bifurcating the beast's entire body.

_"Fuck."_ A bulky looking hollow whose mask was vaguely reminiscent of a bull, glowered at the smoldering remains that had once been their comrade. "Grimmjow, I know Di-Roy was weak, but Nakeem wasn't much stronger than either of-

"Grimmjow?" The cowled stranger repeated dumbly. "As in _Grimmjow Jaggerjack?"_

Grimmjow whipped around, his eyes bulging as he saw it. _Behind them._ Sweeping in a swirl of shadow. Gathered between glimmering teeth. Swelling to an impossible size. Smoldering away the back of Ildfort even as the adjuchas choked aloud, strangling the rest of his sentence as the last bit of the strange spiral dissolved and wedged itself into supposedly impenetrable skin. Thin rivulets of crimson and blood trickle down his mask as the cracks began to appear, while the fingers of a hand wiggled mockingly from just below the hollow hole in hs chest.

"Don't go anywhere." For a moment, the wind prevailed and the face of another was seen. "Aizen-sama has plans for you."

_"Nrgh..._

Still wedged against his arm, Ildfort gurgled weakly.

"You're in the way again, trash." The cowled figure commented lazily, extracting his fingers from within Ildfort's gut without even a feigned show of remorse. Deprived of the force that had propped him up against his own faltering body, the bull-like adjuchas staggered forward, utterly helpless as the dull punch of Sonido jarred his senses for the final time. The katana became bloody once again when it caught its falling brother through the throat and neatly severed his head; the body having already disintegrated before it touched the ground.

There came a sound, the wet squishing of entrails steaming themselves out amongst the salty soil. A blade rose, fell, ascended, descended. Blood spattered a whiskered cheek, three flecks of crimson caught upon the whiskers that tripled a hardened visage to which its owner gave pause and blinked, abruptly fascinated by the flecks of red marring the lower half of his face. Amused, he touched the fingers to his lips and licked them clean, his hand momentarily uncurling from his katana.

He dropped it.

Unable to even comprehend his own demise, let alone Ildfort's, Edorad tumbled backwards, clutching at the severed half of his right arm. Grimmjow watched numbly, unable to express himself, finding no need to do so, as the upper half of his would-be subbordinate grunted once, and lay forever still in the sands. Shawlong didn't even bother to resist; he'd already slumped to his knees by the time that frigid edge came to claim him.

"Idiot!" He bellowed! "Behind-

The only move he made was tcontemptously casting aside _-catching-_a tearing streak of red as it barreled into an open palm; cradling it as though it were no more than a harmless flare. Shawlong gave a small smacking sound behind his mask, his lips pushing empty air as the hardened tip of hierro drilled through the lower half of his mask and affixed itself in place. Spindly and nearly twice the height of his attacker, the usually stoic adjuchas dent double over the one who had stabbed him as he extracted his hand from the trachea of his latest victim.

Unlike Edorad, who was already dissloving from the mask down before it could curse its sudden and abrupt end, Shawlong lingered. Slithering away in a gillimer of particles, even those were gone with the next second, leaving the terrified adjunct to stare into his own reflection as the steel touched its throat and forced his chin upwards, tipped towards the travesty of heaven and its silence. Mournful silence, whilte murder was commited; wanton slaughter that was neither condemned nor condoned, but neither was there and end to the killing.

He laughed; it was a deep, throaty sound.

"And then there was one."

Shrieking in dismay and disbelief, its soon to be victim stumbled backward. Much too slow. Scarce had the thought of resistance entered Grimmjow's mind then Shawlong joined the Edorad and the rest as he too was, robbed of his mask. Left to bleed out against the sand, left for the vultures, the worst feeling Grimmjow could wake was only a small pang of annoyance, instead of regret. Weakling, he didn't even put any effort into his attacks, just like Di-Roy and the others.

There was only the briefest glint of blue eyes from within a tattered burlap cowl.

"Now then," The masculine voice rumbled, a hand reaching for its hood. "Grimmjow Jaggerjack, you'll be coming with me."

He was a handsome fellow, if intense. His blond hair was disheveled, his blue eyes intelligent, his features balanced. Whisker marks tripled each cheek, cheeks that had once dimpled with a constantly bright and enthused grin; no matter the situation or mission. Now, he was intense. His face had hardened, his visage freed of the baby fat that had cursed him in his younger years. Chiseled and nigh on arrogant in its expression, that face bore a series of angry red lines from left ear to right, drooping down his chin and neck.

_The color of blood._

"Who the fuck are you?" Grimmjow cursed his carelessness; because the youth only smiled as he eyed the lines that were the remanant of his mask. "You're just a kid!" No, not just a kid. Reaitsu hung around him like a cloudm draping itself ove rhim in a cowl, pooling and gathering just beneath the surface; coiled like a viper. He was capable of summoning that power again at a moment's notice, that very power that Grimmjow Jaggerjack so loathed and abhored as he did with all hollow who had their masks removed just like...

_"Naruto."_

"Eh?" Well, he was going to use the word "arrancar" but that fit the bill, too.

"Its my name, jackass!" The blond swore and spit vehemently, abruptly abandoning his composure. "Don't forget it!" He reached down to his glove and ripped it off, exposing the tattoo etched into his palm, the like of which immediately brought a return to normalcy between the adjuchas and the scowling hybrid. "See? So stop your _gawking_, get your ass into gear, and follow me." His face created no movement as his vision swept over what little light remained.

"That is, unless you want to end up like your friends."

"Fuck you." Grimmjow snarled.

"No, thank you." The one known as Naruto shook his head and sneered snarkily. "I much rather prefer the opposite sex, thank you very much." With a silent clack, he sheathed, shouldered his weapon and began to walk away. He hadn't long to wait until he detected the slow padding of paws aways behind him. He snickered, but resisted the urge to comment on the reasons for the panther's abrupt change of heart where matters of power were concerned.

"Oi."

"What?"

"Why the fuck is someone like you working with that shinigami?" Grimmjow questioned, his normally blunt and sarcastic tone temporarily lasping into one of curiosity and feigned indifference. There was even less time to wait as they approached what would eventually lead to the case in the distance.

"Its simple." Naruto answered dully. "Once I've repaid my debt, I plan to go home."

"Well isn't that sweet-

...and I will burn it to the ground." Naruto finished, his tone granite, his eyes gravel as they fell upon the sneering adjuchas. "All of them. _Everyone_. Every man, woman, and child at the stake. None that dwell within that accursed hellhole will be spared but for the one I can't seem to find. And once I've burned that god forsaken village to the ground, I'll take revenge on the one who killed me for trying to save him all those years ago. Once I've done that, I'll tear out his eyes and tap-dance on them. Afterwards, with Aizen-sama's assistance, I will obliterate the organization that caused all of this hell to begin with, thanks to the monster that dwells within my stomach."

He paused, touching a finger to the air.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Assuming I do or don't find the one I'm looking for, regarldess, I intend to enjoy myself as much as possible along the way." Ripping the very night asunder, he stepped into a void, only to step out again, clearly waiting to see if he would follow.

"Does that answer your question, Grimmjow Jaggerjack?"

Grimmjow gawped.

"Why so serious, Grimmjow?" Naruto didn't even smile, he simple touched a finger at the air, and it ruptured and became filled with teeth as the garaganta finally opened and permitted them a suitable exit amidst the torrent of whirling and roiling energies. "I showed you mine, now you show me yours. Do you want power for revenge as well? Or is there some grander, noble purpose behind that cold facade of yours, hmm?"

"Fuck off."

_"Bite me."_

Grimmjow growled.

"Don't tempt me, gaki!"

He cast his thoughts of the past aside as they reached the second staircase, the stone steps jutting sharply into the light above; extricated from the darkness below. The door rattled in the lock and the iron gate clanged dully as he flung it open. Grimmjow found his mind wandering not to the memories of his past, but to the despicable man that led him down the halls. He hated him, this cocky kid who thought he was the king of the world, the king of everything, and he couldn't wait to surpass him and prove his superiority.

_'Just you wait..._

"Why don't you come and see?" The blond prodded, sweeping open a door. "You wont be dissapointed, promise."

Now it was twilight; the moon forgotten, and darkness left to follow, hard on its heels. Shadows stretched and shrank; fading and elongating as the brilliant crescent of smoldering silver simmered and spat in the backdrop behind them as the katana removed itself from flesh for the sixth and final time, before being sheathed. Gold buried itself beyond the horizon and left blackness behind. Basked in this glow, the heavens burned a bright and lustrous gold before fading into obscurity; creating an impossible violet veil as the light of the day retired. Entrusting its task to the world, bequeathing them to its sister, the moon, the daylight died.

And then there was only light.

_Drip._

Grimmjow froze, blinked, and his sanity departed. Just like that, he was lost, his scrambling to understand the sudden lack of light and resurgence of light as he was led down an impossibly bright but nonethless dimly lit corridor; the light of afternoon clearly seen through th window slits lining either wall. The confusion absconding with jis pride and confidence; completing his last sentient thought as he set foot into the throne room.

_'No.'_

_No._ It was not possible. Not possible. Had he been there the entire time? The words struggled in his throat as Naruto dropped to a knee, suddenly reverent in the prescence of the one sitting atop the throne at the far end of the hall. Grimmjow, had he been able to raise his head against the reaitsu, would have recognized him immediately. Deceptively placid looking with his curly brown hair, glasses and a kindly smile, his wors struck the marble at their feet and shattered; leaving the intruder's shadow to flinch; the head jerking aside as though he'd been slapped. Without being made physically aware of it, Grimmjow turned, orbs of garnet and violet flying wide with surprise unworthy of words as he beheld the supposed shinigami.

"Well done." An amused smile greeted the blonde's gesture of subservience. "Remarkably well, done, Naruto-kun."

Naruto heaved his head lower to the floor in reply, but for Grimmjow, there could be no mistaking the smile. _What the hell?_ Why on earth was the gaki smiling like that? It was almost as if he'd expected this to happen, planned for it from the very beginning. Wait a second. Wait one fucking second! If he'd planned this out all along, then...that no good basard! Footfalls now, each step echoing upon the marble as the haori clad shinigami stepped down from his throne and deigned to grace them with what could only be described as his prescence.

"Welcome...

This was going to be one hell of a ride.

...to Las Noches."

A sudden whisper of shunpo confirmed his thoughts before something seized his mask...

...and the world dissolved into a snarling flash of white.


End file.
